Get to know Brasileiro U Zelené žáby, a Brazilian jungle near Prague's Old Town Square
A Brazilian lunch at Brasileiro U Zelené žáby
Designer Denisa Strmisková changed the colour scheme from yellow to green - she used different shades on the walls, but also on the upholstery, decorations and staff uniforms. In the upper part of the restaurant Denisa exposed the original plaster, let in more daylight and added live flowers.
She added a charcoal grill to the space between the guests on the lower level. "The meat has a great smoky flavour, plus it's even tastier and juicier thanks to the high-temperature clouding," says chef Martin Matys. He also invented new appetisers and transformed the salad bar.
"We bring our guests Copacabana finger food - Brazilian specialities such as dried cod croquettes, banana tartare or prawns with coriander mayonnaise. A salad bar assembled with fresh ingredients now works better as an accompaniment to grilled meats," adds the chef. Passadors now offer guests the best cuts of meat straight away - starting with beef picanha. The drinks menu is also new, especially among the cocktails.
The restaurant is named after the house in which it is located - "U Zelené žáby", meaning at the Green Frog. Its history played a role in planning the facelift. Frogs croaked terribly in them. The locals were so annoyed by this that the pesky creature even got onto the facade..." the designer quotes from historical sources. That's why it was important for her to return the place to its original spirit.
"The whole upper part of the restaurant has been transformed. We moved and modified the salad bar and changed the seating. We uncovered the historic ceilings and original plaster and added colour, specifically tones of green and earthy brick," says the designer. Working with Studio Haenke, she enhanced the interior with live plants and old posters. They came from a Brazilian antique store and hung on the walls in Brasileiro's early days sixteen years ago.
Denise was delighted with the way they managed to scrape off the plaster, which dates back to the days of the legendary Green Frog wine bar. "This was a bit of a lottery. We had two photos of the original wine bar. The walls looked as if an old stove had exploded, because there used to be a fireplace in the wine bar. We didn't know what to expect after all these years, especially since several more layers had been added to the walls over time. But the walls showed us a beautiful patina, and when we refurbished the interior windows and let more light in, the space was completely transformed, along with the high ceiling," the designer rejoices. As a nod to the return to history, the restaurant has changed its name - Brasileiro U Zelené žáby.
